Utah churches in the news

The Advent Vespers procession "From Darkness to Light" will be celebrated at Cathedral of the Madeleine by its choir on Sunday, Nov. 28, 5 p.m.

The public and people of all faiths are invited to the free program.

The service begins in darkness and silence as the introductory chants are sung. Moving with ministers and clergy in candlelight from the western transept to the eastern transept of Salt Lake City's turn-of-the-century Catholic Cathedral, the choir will sing traditional evening service chants, psalms and other choral music in anticipation of the coming of Christmas. Musical works by Bord, Bruckner, Guerrero and Manz will be featured.

Director of Music Gregory Glenn said, "The music of this event, sung by the cathedral choir, is a mixture of plainsong and polyphony, all of which is unaccompanied. The austerity of this style of music is perfectly in keeping with the feeling of expectation that underpins this season.

SALT LAKE CITY— The Church History Museum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will welcome the Christmas season with a new exhibit and two holiday celebrations.

Holiday events planned include:

Artwork and Cr?he exhibit — Open now and through the holidays, the exhibit will feature "Nativity," a large mural by Brian Kershisnik. This painting illustrates a host of angels surrounding Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus. Other Christmas-themed artwork will be displayed, including paintings by LDS artists Elspeth Young and Walter Rane. The exhibit will also present cr?hes (nativity sets) from around the world.

Pioneer Christmas: A Time for Celebration — This hourlong interactive program for children will illustrate a 19th-century Mormon pioneer Christmas through stories, games, dance, music and a visit from Father Christmas. The program will be presented twice, on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. and at 7 p.m. Seating is limited, and tickets are required. Free tickets are available at www.lds.org/events.

New Year's Celebration — Special hands-on children's activities and historical presentations featuring the Living History Pioneers will be held on Dec. 29-31. Celebration hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the 29th-30th, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 31. Guests are also invited to enjoy the "Latin American Celebration" children's exhibit while participating in the museum's holiday events.

The Church History Museum is located at 45 N. West Temple. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.

There will be free ice skating from 3-5 p.m., with a Grand Menorah Lighting at 5 p.m.

The event is open to the public and sponsored by Chabad Lubavitch of Utah.

Hanukkah 2010 will also be formally celebrated on Thursday, Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m., in Utah at the Governor's Mansion, and Gov. Gary R. Herbert and his wife are expected to host the celebration. A Menorah-lighting ceremony will take place in the ballroom at the mansion at 603 E. South Temple in Salt Lake City. This second Chanukah event is by invitation only.

Rabbi Benny Zippel is also expected to emphasize the importance of the state celebrating the constitutional "freedom of religion," not a "freedom from religion."

Call 801-467-7777 for more details on either event,

'Welcoming Stranger' at Unitarian church

"Welcoming the Stranger" will be addressed by guest the Rev. Pablo Ramos and the Rev. Tom Goldsmith at the Sunday services at the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake, 569 S. 1300 East.

SALT LAKE CITY — A benefactor wishing to express his gratitude for the exceptional care provided to a family member by St. Mark's Hospital has arranged for a generous gift — the loan of a full-sized, nearly exact replica of Michelangelo's La Pieta.

This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother, Mary, after the Crucifixion. The original La Piet?can be found in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

This replica is licensed by the Vatican Observatory Foundation. The marble sculpture is faithful to the original in its detail and subtlety.

Its premier unveiling occurred in January 2010 during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City.

This is believed to be the first time it has been displayed in a health care venue anywhere in the world. The public is invited to personally experience the sculpture through the end of the year in the main lobby at St. Mark's Hospital.

Cathedral announces upcoming concerts

Upcoming concerts at the Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 E. South Temple, include:

Entry in the "Segullah: Writings by Latter-day Saint Women" annual personal essay, poetry, and fiction contest is open through Dec. 31.

Segullah welcomes unpublished entries that address any subject in harmony with its mission: to publish insightful writings that explore life's richness and complexity while reflecting faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Entrants must be female members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Entries will be judged by Segullah editors.

The First Presidency Christmas Devotional for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will feature the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square, on Sunday, Dec. 5, 6 p.m. at the Conference Center.

Members of the First Presidency will be the speakers.

Free tickets are required for the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

Due to the very high demand, tickets have been distributed through a random selection process.

Archuleta to perform with Tabernacle Choir

David Archuleta will join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for their annual Christmas concerts on Temple Square, Dec. 16-18.